Priest Lake Cabin Owners Sue Idaho Over Land Valuation

The owners of 76 cabins built on state land around a northern Idaho lake are suing over the way the state determined the land's value.

The Spokesman-Review reports the lawsuit argues the state is including the value of improvements such as access roads and utility lines that renters paid to have installed at cabin sites on Priest Lake.

The appraised value will be the minimum bid for possible auctions and will be used as the basis for future rental costs.

The state argues renters have no property rights that can be violated, since the land is owned by the state.

Court documents say the average rent on Priest Lake would increase from $9,915 to $17,850 next year under the new appraisals. The lawsuit seeks to stop the state from using the new appraised values.